Mediterranean Bowl W/Dairy Free Tzatziki

I'm on a roll with finding dairy free alternatives for Ryan to enjoy.  This week, I made a dairy free tzatziki sauce for these delicious Mediterranean bowls.  We love Mediterranean food, so this bowl was a delicious and healthy way to enjoy some of our favorite flavors.  Now, there are some things you could add to this dish, but because of our dietary restrictions, we didn't.  You may have noticed that none of my recipes call for onions.  There's something about onions that just really upsets my stomach.  I've always called it an allergy because it's easier to describe, but it's more of a sensitivity.  Pair that with Ryan's lactose intolerance and we can't add red onions or feta cheese to these bowls.  To be honest, you don't even need them though.  You get a great crunch from the cucumbers and a creaminess from the tzatziki sauce, so we're not missing out on anything.

I'm on a bit of a whole-grain kick right now because I've read through the "Carb" chapter of my nutrition book.  I always knew that whole grains were better for you, but never really understood beyond that.  I won't bore you with the specifics, but I'm definitely going to be more conscious about the grains I'm eating in the future.  I'm a huge fan of Israeli (pearl) couscous, but I subbed that out in this recipe for farro.  I honestly can't tell you if farro is a healthier alternative, but when I think about whole intact grains vs. processed, it seems to me like farro would be a better choice. 

I wasn't too sure about this dairy-free tzatziki at first, but it actually turned out really well in this bowl.  Between the saltiness of the chicken and brininess of the olives, the slight sweetness of the coconut milk balanced the flavors of the bowl really well.  Although a little time-consuming to make, this tzatziki was so tasty, I'll definitely be making it again.  The key here is that you need to have cold coconut milk so it has a thick texture.  So make sure to pop your can of coconut milk in the fridge 12-24 hours in advance of trying this recipe or it won't turn out well.

Total Time: 20-25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts

2 cups farro, cooked & cooled

4 cups arugula

1 cup grape tomatoes

1 medium cucumber

Optional Add Ons:

Green Olives

Feta Cheese

Red Onions

Fresh dill

Dairy Free Tzatziki:

1 cup full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated

1 medium sized cucumber

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

2 tbs lemon juice

Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. To make the tzatziki, mince the garlic, chop the cucumber finely and chop the dill.  Mix together with 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk (skim from the top so you only get the thick, creamy part and not the clear water), lemon juice, salt & pepper.  Set aside.
2. Coat your chicken breasts with oil, salt & pepper and grill for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on size.
3. While the chicken is grilling, chop the grape tomatoes in half and the cucumber in bite-sized pieces.
4. To plate your bowl, add 1 cup arugula and 1/4 cup farro in the base of the bowl.  Add veggies, chicken and add tzatziki in the center.  Mix and enjoy!